Rail-joint.



PATENTEDMAY 2, 1905,

G. E. BURNS.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILE-D 0OT.13,1904.

NiTEp STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT EEicE.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,999, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed October 13, 1904. Serial No. 228,272.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. BURNS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Duquesne, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in rail-joints, and has for its object the provision of novel means for supporting and retaining the confronting ends of two rail-sections in close proximity one to the other. I

Another object of this invention is to entirely dispense with the use of nuts and bolts and provide a novel form of fish-plates which are adapted to be interlocked one within the other, the construction of the fish-plates being such that they may be easily and quickly removed from the rail-sections when it is so desired.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved rail-joint. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, showing in dotted lines the position one of my improved fish-plates assumes when removing the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of said fish-plates.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my improved fish-plates in connection with two sections of rails, one of said sections of rails being broken away, while the other section is shown in cross-section.

The reference-numerals 1 and 2 designate these sections of rails, and in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings I have illustrated the same as being joined together by my improved fishplates.

The reference-numerals 3 and 4 designate the fish-plates. which may be formed of a casting or rolled from sheet metal, and in forming said fish-plates I provide a base portion 5 upon each fish-plate and form integral with these base portions an upwardly-extending curved member 6, the upper edge of which is adapted to engage under the heads of the rail sections 1 and 2 and support the same, while the base of the rail-sections is adapted to rest upon the base 5 of each fish-plate. The outer edges of the base of each fish-plate are cut away. as designated at 7 7, whereby spikes may be employed for securing the fish-plates upon a tie, said spikes being driven into the tie in order that the heads of said spikes may engage within the recesses or cut-away portions 7 7 of each fish-plate and hold the same firmly upon the ties. The inner edges of the base portions 5 5 are adapted to interlock together, and to accomplish this the edge of the base portion of each fish-plate is provided longitudinally of its length with a substantially L-shaped tongue 8, this tongue being formed by forming a recess 9 within the top edge of the base portion 5 of the fish-plate 3, and I provide the L-shaped tongue 8 with a rounded or beaded edge 10, the object of which will be hereinafter described. The opposite iishplate, in which the L-shaped tongue 8 is to be locked, is constructed reversely to that of the fish-plate just described-that is, instead of the L-shaped tongue 8 being formed by a recess in the top edge of the base portion the L-shaped tongue 11 is formed by providing a recess 12 in the lower face of the base portion; otherwise said L- shaped tongues are identical in construction; but it will be seen by referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the exact position each fish-plate assumes when locked together.

By rounding the edges of each L-shaped tongue I have facilitated the operation of locking thetwo fish-plates together, and it will be observed by referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings that the rounded edge of each L- shaped tongue lies within the recess of the opposite fish-plate, and the rear edge 14 of one tongue engages the rear edge of the opposite tongue, and as long as the rail-sections 1 and 2 rest upon the base portions 5 of the fishplates it will be impossible for the fish-plates to become disconnected; but should it be desired to remove the rail-sections the ends of the rails are raised in order that the fish-plate 3 may be swung downwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, this movement permitting the rail-sections to be removed or the entire removal of the fishplate 3. The rounded edges of the tongues 8 permit of the easy movement of one tongue within the recess of the other, and the many advantages of this construction will be apparent from the foregoing description. It will be observed from Fig. 2 of the drawings that the base portions 5 of my improved fish-plates are constructed upon a slight curve, whereby when the rail is placed between said fishplates a space will exist between the edges of the base of the rail and the surface of the base of the fish-plates. When the fish-plates are secured together, the curved under face of the base portions of the fish-plates will form a slight concavity, whereby when pressure is exerted upon the top of the rails the fishplates will be depressed sufiiciently to cause the fish-platesto engage the rails more firmly.

It will thus be seen that my improved railjoint may be rolled and that the recesses or cut-away portions 7 may be afterward provided in the outer edges of the base portions 5 of each fish-plate, and I do not care to limit myself to rolling these fish-plates, for the same may be readily cast of a shape substantially the same as that shown in the accompanying drawings.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with two sections of rails, of two fish-plates, the bases of said fishplates having their inner edges formed with rounded tongues which are adapted to interlock one with the other, substantially as described.

2. A rail-chair comprising two sections, each formed with a substantially L-shaped tongue, said tongues being adapted to interlock, and the inner edge of each tongue being rounded, substantially as described.

3. A rail-chair comprising two sections, each formed with a groove, and a rounded head, the rounded head of one section being received by the groove of the other section, substantially as described.

4. A rail-chair comprising two sections, each formed with a longitudinal groove, and a head, the head of one section being adapted to be received by the groove of the other section, the outer edges of said heads presenting flat engaging faces and the inner edges being rounded.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. BURNS.

Witnesses:

W. U. HEITZ, K. H. BUTLER. 

